RESIDENTS have joined a protest over plans to knock down 22 garages and replace them with seven homes.

Home Housing Association wants to develop the site just north of the Gallows Hill estate at Ripon for a terrace of four three-bedroomed and three two-bedroomed homes with 13 parking spaces.

Seventy-four people have backed a protest petition.

Ripon City Council is also opposing the scheme, which will be considered by an area planning committee of the borough council in Ripon next week.

The city council believes the development is too intensive, there will be loss of amenity to existing properties, and lack of parking.

In addition to the petition residents have written ten protest letters.

Planning officer Jill North, recommending approval, said there were no planning grounds to refuse it.